Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1473479
82 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2022 toward R&D. Many companies are hoping to receive grants to build facilities, but I don't think that's the way most of the money will flow. ere are some aspects where, if they flow through the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program, awards can be given. But I believe DPA is more inclined to invest in tech- nologies or capabilities that help an entire industry, not just something that helps one or two companies build a new plant or a new line. inking about the bigger picture, for exam- ple, one of the challenges we have in PCBs is finer traces. If you could invest in an infra- structure or R&D that would help bring finer traces to the entire U.S. industry, that's more likely for an award because you're investing in one technology that helps raise the entire industry. Johnson: is indicates to me that the money more likely will be awarded to material or cap- ital equipment suppliers for development of new capabilities, and that the fabs may be win- ning. Advanced packaging and substrate tech- nologies must be at the forefront. It seems the assembly houses won't really benefit from this because, other than buying equipment using these funds, the assembly houses themselves don't have a lot to benefit from here. Peters: I'm not sure, and I don't know that I would reach that conclusion yet, because we still don't know so much about this. If you think about all these things that are coming down with the substrates, we're talking about putting smaller pitches on smaller pads. e EMS companies must keep pace with that. We can't just do all these things over here and then hand it off to the EMS companies when they're not in a situation to do that. ey need to be a part of this equation. is gets back to what you've been hearing from IPC, PCBAA, and USPAE. It's this idea of looking at the whole ecosystem; you can't focus on just one element. We must bring along the whole ecosystem for this to work. I come from the mechanical side rather than electron- ics, so I'm looking at this from a higher level of policy and procedure and what we get done. From a technical perspective, I look to indus- try people for that. Johnson: e EMS companies would certainly benefit from this, but part of their benefit is going out to invest in the new equipment, to get the new capabilities, to keep up with the new challenges. I don't see a lot of R&D oppor- tunity at the EMS companies. ey will bene- fit from the R&D, but it will be done in other companies upstream from them. Peters: at may be a good point, but it seems that the EMS companies should be involved to help ensure the innovations can be more quickly incorporated and know what addi- tional training may be needed. Johnson: I have been told that there is a clause for a 25% tax credit for purchases within the U.S. From your perspective, how do you see Chris Peters